Beet-harvesting machine.



J. MASSART.

BEET HARVESTING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 14, 1911.

1,083,451. Patented Jan.6,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A 9 @AW J. MASSART. BEET HARVESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1911.

1,083,451 Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 20., WASHINGTON, D. c.

UTTE

T S ATE BEET-HARVESTING MACHINE.

Original application filed May 17, 1909, Serial No. 496,493.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J ULES MAssAR'r, a subject of the King of Belgium, and resident of Lantremange, in the Province of Liege, Belgium, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beet-Harvesting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in machines for harvesting beets or similar root-like plants, and particularly to the means for digging or extracting the bodies of such plants from the earth.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide means for the purpose stated by which the beets will be raised from the earth with a relatively small amount of soil adhering thereto and which will require but a minimum expenditure of tractive force when in use.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation of those portions of a beet harvesting machine to which the invention particularly relates, constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view; and Fig. 4 is a detail View of the digging or root-lifting devices.

Machines of the character to which the invention relates commonly include devices for topping or cutting leaves and crowns from beets, in addition to means for digging or extracting the roots from the earth. Such topping devices are arranged in advance of the digging means and as they are not shown in the accompanying drawings portions of the supporting frame of the machine are also necessarily omitted from the several views.

In an earlier application Serial No. 496,493, filed May 17, 1909, and of which the present case is a division, there is illustrated a machine including both the subjectmatter of this invention and a topping mechanism with which the herein described digging devices have been practically emploved.

The machine comprises a main frame 1, having rear supporting wheels, carried by an axle 3 mounted to rock in bearings on the frame, and forward steering wheels which are carried by an auxiliary frame 2. At its upper end said steering wheel support or frame is connected with a threaded shaft that engages a suitably threaded sleeve or bearing on the main frame and terminates Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 6, 1914.

Divided and this application filed. .Tune 14,

Serial No. 633,141.

in a crank or handle 4, by means of which said steering wheels may be adjusted vertically if desired. By means of a controlling rod 12 extending longitudinally of the machine and connected with the support for the steering wheels the relation of said wheels to the main frame may be varied to guide or direct the movements of the machine as clesired. By means of a shaft carrying a worm 10 that engages a sector 11 connected with the rear axle 3 the main supporting wheels of the machine may be adjusted relatively to the frame 1. A handle or crank 6 is connected with the shaft carrying the worm 10, said crank being situated relatively near the handle on the steering rod or bar 12 so that both of said wheel controlling members can be readily operated by a single person walking at the rear of the machine.

The machine is provided with a pair of longitudinally extending draft rods or bars 13 attached at their rear ends to depending members 8 of the main frame and supported near the forward end of the machine by guide loops or hangers 14 which permit the necessary lateral or turning movement of the steering wheel support.

At the lower ends of the frame members 8 are arranged the digging devices which comprise two members extending longitudinally of the machine and so formed and supported that they will extend on opposite sides of a beet and operate to lift it from the earth by a direct upward pressure and deposit the beet in rear of the machine as the latter is drawn along. Each of said digging devices is of substantially triangular form in side elevation and is provided with a slot or opening that extends through its rear edge thus providing two members 7, 9. The member 7 is secured to a rearward extension on the frame member 8 by suitable bolts and the member 9 extends rearwardly from, and is at some distance above the rear end of said member 7. As shown in the drawings, particularly Figs. 2 to 4, each digging device is relatively narrow and of substantially the same width throughout its length. The device is secured to the frame in such position that the portion of the lower surface thereof in advance of the frame member 8 forms an ob tuse angle with the forward edge of said frame member and the upper surface of the digger is inclined or curved throughout its length, rising to a considerable height above the member 7 at its rear end.

From the foregoing description and the drawings it will be seen that the action of devices embodying the present invention upon a beet is very different from that of the shovel-like devices that have heretofore been commonly employed in machines of this character. The arrangement of the diggers by the present invention is such that they do not penetrate the soil deeply or throughout their height and owing to the form of the upper surface thereof they act upon the tapered body of a beet to lift the same by a force acting practically only in a vertical direction. Heretofore it has been customary to force or raise the beets by effecting a lateral compressing of the soil immediately surrounding them.

By the particular form of digger hereinbefore described which acts directly upon the beet in a vertical direction only, a minimum amount of soil is raised with each beet, and as the members 9 of said devices are for the greater portion of their length at all times above the surface of the ground they provide such an elevated and elongated support for the extracted beets that practically all of the mass of earth adhering thereto will be separated before the beets are discharged at the rear ends of said members. This feature is one of consider able importance as the beets are delivered onto the surface of the ground or to a cleaning mechanism at the rear of the machine with a minimum amount of soil adhering thereto so that they can be readily handled. With machines in which the extracting or raising of the bodies is accomplished by laterally compressing the earth about each beet it frequently occurs that the beets discharged by the machine are completely buried in the loose earth, and considerable time is required to uncover them. Further it will be appreciated that by causing the digging devices to lift the beets by exerting pressure in a substantially vertical direction, instead of by lateral pressure, the ma- 1,oss,451

chine will act uniformly on beets of various sizes without injuring the large ones which are frequently crushed or broken by the ac tion of the broad shovel-like devices commonly employed.

It will be seen that the digging devices are spaced apart to a somewhat greater extent at their forward ends than at their rear so that they are adapted to act properly upon beets of various sizes, but as before noted the operative surfaces of said digging devices are of substantially the same width throughout their length.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a machine for harvesting beets or other root-like plants, the combination of a wheeled supporting frame, standards 8 carried by and depending from said frame and each provided at its lower end with a rearward extension, said standards being bowed toward each other so that their lower ends are relatively close together, a digging de-- vice carried at the lower end of each of said standards and comprising a base memher 7, that is attached to the standard so that it projects forwardly therefrom and is inclined downwardly continuously from its rear to its forward end, and forms a con tinuation of the rearward extension of the standard, and upwardly directed extensions 9 forming continuations of the upper surfaces of the base members and extending between the standards and projecting beyond the rear ends of the base members 7 and the rearward extensions of the standards, the base members 7 being also inclined relative to each other to form a rearward tapering passage in advance of the standards, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JULES MASSART.

Witnesses:

R. HARDY, H. JoHNsoN.

Gopies 01 this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, 

